1
as in skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
the svelte dancer seemed to float across the stage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sophisticated
having or showing very polished and worldly manners
the interior designer spoke in a low, svelte voice
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Recent Examples of svelte
In the realm of mouton, his innovation was to use only the most flexible skins, which gave his coats a svelter, more modern silhouette.
—
Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026
AttoTude is planning essentially the same thing, but at terahertz frequencies and with a different kind of svelte, flexible cable.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
Even with that svelte silhouette, the semi-custom cruiser still offers an impressive amount of space on board.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2025
Images of the American flag and bald eagles appear on his clinic’s new website among photos of svelte women.
—Jessica Schreifels, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for svelte
Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026
AttoTude is planning essentially the same thing, but at terahertz frequencies and with a different kind of svelte, flexible cable.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
Even with that svelte silhouette, the semi-custom cruiser still offers an impressive amount of space on board.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2025
Images of the American flag and bald eagles appear on his clinic’s new website among photos of svelte women.
—Jessica Schreifels, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for svelte
Recent Examples of Synonyms for svelte
Adjective
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To style skinny jeans in a way that feels more 2026 than 2016, wear them under a dress or with kitten heels and a blazer.—
Elizabeth Mitchell Kadar,
Glamour,
24 Mar. 2026
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Her neutral-toned, matte-finish makeup, strappy black tank top, and skinny sunglasses are also very ‘90s, so thanks for the weekend glam inspo, Selena!—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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During this time, civilization saw the emergence of more sophisticated tools, such as those made of bone, ivory, and antlers, according to Britannica.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
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Typically, drones navigate using a combination of sensors, cameras, controllers, a power source, and sophisticated algorithms that interpret environmental data to make decisions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There’s something about the clincher in a 2-0 win, when the opposition has been pressing for an equaliser with tension mounting as your slender lead starts to look precarious.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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For example, a stop sign might as well be a tall, slender man with a large red hat!—
Etiido Uko
March 14,
New Atlas,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Your graceful mindset calms tension, while a tidy workspace restores focus and keeps cooperation smooth.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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While that advice refers primarily to metal utensils, the same principles apply across materials, especially where thin construction can increase the risk of breakage.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Not only did that article form the basis of the film, but Lumet actually took the note and cast Pacino in the role of that dark, thin fellow.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Helium enables smooth production of semiconductors since the gas prevents unwanted chemical reactions in the manufacturing process.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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Maxim Rud’s transition from intern to orthopedic traumatologist wasn’t smooth or gradual.—
Mariia Yastreba,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But adding regular walking helps signal the body to maintain lean tissue while losing fat.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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Gumbs projects slightly better than Sapp, largely due to his lean 6-foot-4 frame that fits the mold of mutant edge rushers the NFL is currently searching for.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Nespresso’s new era under Lipa will mark a shift from the suave Clooney ads that always featured the actor in a gray suit, usually as the butt of the joke.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
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This casting also gives more oomph to the musical’s love quadrilateral, which pairs Queenie and Burrs with a B-couple, the rising star Kate (the ever-magnetic Adrienne Warren) and her escort, Black (an exceptionally suave Jelani Alladin), who are here both darker-skinned.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Svelte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/svelte. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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